Regional Matches

[AlchemyGolf]

I have noticed the enormous amount of interest in the England v Scotland game and this got me thinking.

What about regional matches, I am now getting to know who the North West forummers are and know the north west could put a team together.

A venue could be picked half way between the regions involved to keep travelling even for both teams.

I propose an 8 man team with 4 games of four ball better ball.

I think it would be a great way to get forummers together from across the country.You could even have say 8 regions involved in a knockout,have a draw for each round and have the final with a big get together for everyone!!

Or has this already been done?

 

[KeefG]

I'll be tea boy for the West Yorkshire / North East team

On a more serious note, its a good idea and i'd be very interested in playing.

 

[intherough]

i'd love to be involved in a team from the northwest.

 

[Qwerty]

Thats a great idea Alchemy.
I would definately get involved if we could get the idea of the ground.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I like the idea of regional matches but think it may have to be split even further. For example the South East could potentially include North Kent (Gillinham round past Dover etc) all the way out west towards my neck of the woods and down back along the south coast. That is a heck of a big area. Now add in Scotland and Ireland as a whole and the travelling etc becomes prohibitive.

What I would suggest would be almost to have it at a county level so for example Kent could play Hampshire or maybe a south Midlands team at a venue as close to central as possible. I'm shocking at geography so not sure what areas there are in Scotland (sorry guys) but a similar thing could happen up there.

What might be an interesting twist is to have a localised league bit like the group stages in the 20/20 cricket (e.g Surrey/Berks, Hants, Kent and Sussex) and play a match home and away. I know we have spoken about a national meet (or finals day if you will) but still not sure how you will arrange for so many people to get to one centralised location. I'm not sure where we go once we get a league winner from each area.

A good idea in theory and something I'd support but needs a lot of planning to make it happen

 

[HTL]

Was thinking of sorting out a Surrey / Kent cup. We all host a day at our clubs, points awarded and the winner has the very best Oxfam jacket presented to them and a free nights booze the the bar.

What you guys think?

 

[AlchemyGolf]

Yeah Homer countys as areas is a good idea!

southeast could include players from
kent,wiltshire,london,hampshire,berkshire,surrey

Southwest
cornwall,devon,dorset,somerset,wiltshire

Northwest
lancs,merseyside,cumbria,grater mancs

etc,etc

End up with a southern winner,midlands winner,northern winner,scotland winner,welsh winner +others who go to the final which could be betterball stableford,team with most points wins.




Each county/area would need to appoint/elect a captain to help the other captain arrange a match.

The home games could be played at a forummers home club making it easier to arrange and possibly slightly cheaper green fees.

This could be a goer with a bit of thought.

This to me is the best idea I have seen for an national forummers match/order of merit/competitive get together.

What does Mike H think of this one?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

HTL I'm up for a Kent v Surrey match (guess I still qualify for Surrey by birth)

I think the regional matches has some merits but I have concerns about who plays on the team. What happens if one area is oversubscribed and another struggles to get a team. Will teams be picked on skill which seems elitist and not what the forum is about, or first come, which prejudices those who only log on at night or every few days.

 

[AlchemyGolf]

if it is going to be a forum event then it has to be on the amount of posts made so the longest serving members get to play which counts me out but thats the way it should be in my opinion!

 

[KeefG]

Ok, after the initial shock has slightly worn off i think a better way forward would be this:

Each team/county elects a captain, whether this is based on number of posts (not preffered), a voting system or handicap, or if someone wants to put their name forward and nobody rejects.

The teams for any given event are then picked at random, out of a hat with the assistance of the opposing teams captain, lets say for example that a team has 8 players and only 4 are needed for a match, each player is given a number by his captain (including the captain), the list of players and numbers are also given to someone who is neutral to both parties, then the opposing team captian picks 4 random numbers, the 2 captains agree on the teams with the asistance of the neutral parties.....there's your teams.

It sounds complicated, in reality its a doddle and has worked for me in the past when we did a similar thing in a golf society i was in.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

That is rubbish. Why should I have any more right (I am the leading poster on the forum) to play than a guy happy to read in the background and only posting when he has something specific to say. It has to be open to all or it isn't a forum thing at all.

 

[AlchemyGolf]

o.k Homer count me in and i will come and kick your arse in the final

I would love to play!

 

[birdieman]

Dont want to rain on anyones parade here but forum meets are friendly knockabouts aren't they, a chance to meet some new people and enjoy a social day at a new golf course. We dont need it to be ultra competitive knockout stuff where you end up disliking your opponents over a 2' gimme not given etc. As we all have our regular busy golf seasons at our own clubs to do that, we dont need loads of new fixtures many miles away.

For most of us with jobs and families this aint gonna happen. Dead duck this idea imo.

Friendly one off days out are whats needed, not knockout events asking for big committments from people.

This is afterall an internet forum for people to talk about golf at home, I for one cannot play enough events at my own club and other local opens never mind some pointless knockout many miles away.

I think this forum works best for people to casually say 'I'm playing here such and such a day, does anyone want to join me?' etc etc. SE England boys seem to have this sorted pretty good.

My two forum outings have been 1 day events within 2 hours from home, any more and logistically its not going to work!

I have kindly been offered a game after my Turnberry post the other day, thats whats good about this forum rather than large events run over weeks that most of us can't attend.

 

[AlchemyGolf]

I still think it a good concept but Birdieman has a very good point actually.My family commitments would stop me from playing anywhere to far away.

I am sure a team of 8 prepared to travel could be put together though!

 

[AlchemyGolf]

(I am the leading poster on the forum)

Dont we know it Homer

 

[RGuk]

(I am the leading poster on the forum)

Dont we know it Homer

ENOUGH.....seriously.....

Alchemy,
TonyN, Vig and I have been gradually picking up players for a NW team.

I'm keen to consider all sorts. THE match I'd like to see happen would be us lot (NW) versus the S.East lot.

Trouble is, finding a sensible venue in Oxfordshire/Wiltshire/Berkshire/Bucks, where the price would be sensible.....

I know Homer is in Ascot, but that's not ideal.....too far....

 

[AlchemyGolf]

RGUK
I have sent Homer a PM,he knows its only a bit of banter.
He's a big boy.

NW team would be great.
Wouldnt half way between be fairer on the travelling.

If everyone could decide how many members were required for a team and then each area put a team together then friendly matches could be arranged easily I think.

 

[RGuk]

Half-way, yes, but that's off the M1 or M40 (between Solihull and Banbury) somewhere.

I reckon we (NW) already have at least a team of 8, and no doubt SE as well. Scotland, well, them too!!

Let's think about it logically. On a day trip, it needs to be 2 - 2 1/2 hrs max really (sharing some driving, maybe)

Makes things very tricky.....and possibly very expensive....

 

[RGuk]

Alchemy.....would it be worth me checking out the "old-boys" network.....there must be a business or family or forum connection to get on somewhere good.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

There must be a few good courses in the Oxfordshire area which I guess is middle ground???? I'm up for a game but being down to one car which HID selfishly insists on using for something called work?? I'd be reliant on cadging a lift on the way through and paying the petrol money in recompense